Mixing and dispensing gun having a replaceable nozzle

ABSTRACT

A dispensing gun for fluids such as urethane foam and the like is provided in which separate fluid components are individually led to the gun and are mixed within a replaceable mixing and dispensing nozzle member. After gun use, the used nozzle member can be removed for cleaning or replacement with a fresh nozzle, thereby obviating difficulties encountered in cleaning and purging the entire gun. Also disclosed are inexpensive and effective component fluid flow control valves, which are opened by a gun trigger. Each valve is positively closed into a fluidtight seal by pressure of the controlled fluid against a sealing resilient ball member, and is opened by the action of a plunger against the ball member.



1. In a dispensing gun for mixing and discharging multicomponent fluids, the gun comprising housing means, handle means affixed to the housing means for grasping the gun and aiming the discharge thereof, a plurality of valve means carried by the housing means for controlling the flow of the multi-component fluid through the gun, a plurality of connections adapted for cooperating in establishing a fluid pathway between said valve means and remote supply container means, and manually operable trigger means mounted on the housing means for controlling the valve means, the improvement comprising detachable mixing and dispensing nozzle means adapted for communication with each of the valve means for receiving all the components of the multicomponent fluid, the nozzle means being internally configured to promote the mixing of the received fluid components, and having nozzle exit means to discharge the mixed fluid in a pre-determined direction, nozzle seating means for orienting the nozzle means in a pre-determined discharge position, and nozzle latch means mounted on the housing means for selectively retaining the detachable nozzle means in a rigidly seated position relative to the housing and alternatively releasing the detachable nozzle means for removal from the nozzle seating means, said nozzle means including a plurality of spaced apart ports for receiving each fluid component of the multicomponent fluid at separated locations and delivering each component to the interior of the nozzle means in an unmixed condition, thereby confining all the fluid component mixing activity to the nozzle means interior.
 2. A dispensing gun according to claim 1 wherein said latch means includes nozzle ejector means for positively urging said nozzle means out of said nozzle seating means when the latch means is actuated for releasing the nozzle means from the gun.
 3. A dispensing gun according to claim 2 wherein said ejector means comprises a nozzle ejector member oriented for engagement with the nozzle means.
 4. In a dispensing gun for mixing and discharging multi-component fluids, the gun comprising housing means, handle means affixed to the housing means for grasping the gun and aiming the discharge thereof, a plurality of connectors adapted for cooperating in establishing a fluid pathway between said gun and remote supply container means, nozzle means affixed to the housing means for mixing the fluid components and discharging the mixed fluid in a predetermined direction and trigger means for selectively starting and stopping fluid flow through the dispensing gun, the improvement comprising valve means for starting and stopping fluid flow through the dispensing gun in response to actuation of the trigger means, the valve means including valve seat means communicating with said connectors, ball means engageable with said seat means to form a fluid-tight seal for stopping fluid flow through the gun, plunger means connected to the trigger means for unseating the ball means and permitting fluid flow when the ball means is unseated, biasing means urgiNg the plunger means away from the ball means thereby permitting the ball means to be normally seated on the valve seat means and the valve means to be normally closed, and valve outlet means connecting said valve seat means with said nozzle means for establishing a fluid pathway between said valve means and said nozzle means when the ball means is unseated and fluid flow is permitted, said biasing means engaging the housing means and the trigger means and normally urging the trigger means into an inoperative position, thereby pulling the connected plunger means away from the ball means and permitting the ball means to be normally seated with a fluid-tight seal on the valve seat means.
 5. Apparatus for mixing and discharging multicomponent products comprising: supply containers for the respective components of a multi-component product; fluid component materials in said containers; a dispensing gun; and hose means connecting said gun with each of said supply containers, said gun including a housing, a handle affixed to the housing for grasping the gun and aiming the discharge thereof, valves carried by the housing for controlling the flow of the individual components of the multi-component product through the gun, a manually operable trigger mounted on the housing for controlling the valves, and detachable mixing and dispensing nozzle means adapted for communication with each of said valves to receive all of the component materials, said nozzle means being configured to promote the mixing of said component materials and having nozzle exit means for discharging the mixed product in a predetermined direction, said gun having nozzle seating means in the housing for orienting the nozzle means in a pre-determined discharge position and nozzle latch means mounted on the housing for selectively retaining the nozzle means in a rigidly seated position in said seating means and alternatively releasing said nozzle means for removal thereof, said nozzle means including fluid guide means for promoting the mixing of said component materials and a plurality of spaced ports for receiving each of said component materials at separated locations and delivering each component material to said fluid guide in an unmixed condition whereby to confine mixing action to said nozzle means. 